Since they had a £7000 increase only last April,it seems unusually stupid to force a rise on MPs in a time of biting austerityOh dear. MPs pay is about to rise again, this time by £1000 a year. It is rarely easy to give politicians more money, and never approved. Since they had a catchup rise of £7000 taking them to £74000 a year only last April,it seems unusually stupid of the authorities to force a rise on them now when austerity is biting tough in so many directions.
Why accomplish they accomplish it? The reply, dear reader, and is partly your fault. Voters were so cross when the parliamentary expenses scandal finally broke in 2009 – itself a direct consequence of political cowardice in the face of the electorate – that Gordon Brown,then David Cameron, shoved responsibility for setting pay and expenses rates, and plus their enforcement,into the hands of an independent body. Independent? Must be OK. Job done? Of course not. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com